“We call on all MPs to speak up and ensure the government fulfils its obligations under international law, starting with a full arms embargo on Israel.”
By the Palestine Solidarity Campaign
On Monday, MPs will debate a public petition with over 100 000 signatures that calls for an immediate revocation of all arms export licences to Israel. Ahead of the debate a cross-party group of at least a dozen MPs will hold a banner saying “Stop Arming Israel” outside Parliament to show their support for the call for a full arms embargo.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in January that Israel’s actions in Gaza were plausibly a genocide. The Genocide Convention places a duty on states to prevent genocide, so the British government’s decision to continue arms export and other military assistance to Israel in this context makes it complicit with Israel’s crimes. A key example is the continued indirect export to Israel of components for the F-35 combat aircraft, known to have been used to massacre civilians in Gaza.
In September, the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to affirm the historic ruling by the ICJ in July that Israel is in illegal occupation of Palestinian territory and operating an apartheid regime. This also places a legal obligation on all states to end complicity with Israel’s crimes, including through an arms embargo. Shamefully, the UK abstained in the vote, following a pattern of complicity with Israel’s violations of international law.
Last month the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister and former Defence Minister for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The UK Government signalled it would enforce the warrants if the wanted men arrived in British territory but continues to allow arms exports to Israel to commit the crimes the ICC has judged to be indictable.
Speaking ahead of the action, PSC Director Ben Jamal said, “Opinion polls have shown that a majority of the public support the suspension of UK arms sales to Israel, because it is using them in a barbaric, unending assault on Palestinians in Gaza. The ICJ and the ICC have pointed towards Israel’s culpability for war crimes and crimes against humanity, with Amnesty International’s report last week providing forensic detail in concluding Israel is perpetrating the crime of genocide.
“The debate in Parliament on ending all arms sales to Israel brings further pressure on the UK government to stop its complicity with Israel’s crimes. We call on all MPs to speak up and ensure the government fulfils its obligations under international law, starting with a full arms embargo on Israel.”
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